According to the Armenian Assembly of America, the 2012 Armenian Assembly of America summer intern class, together with the 2012 Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) interns, met with long-time Assembly Trustee Rita Balian, whose late husband Vartkes served on the Assembly’s Board of Directors as Treasurer for six years from 1978 to 1984.
The Armenian Mirror-Spectator reports that the Assembly interns joined the ANCA interns as they passed through the Armenian art exhibit at the World Bank, which features paintings and sculptures from the Balian Art Collection. Balian is also co-sponsoring the spectacular exhibit “The Armenian Literary Tradition”. Then they visited Balian residence to see the extensive art collection by major Armenian artists. Balian gave the interns an educational tour, introducing them to the artwork by many artists.
The paper writes that Balian also discussed the work of the Armenian American Cultural Association (AACA), which she founded in 1995, through which in 1997 the Armenian American Wellness Center was established in Yerevan, Armenia. In January 2003 Balian was the first to receive the “USAID Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award”, and in September 2011, on the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, President Serge Sargisian presented her the “Mkhitar Heratzi Award” for her medical achievements for Armenian women.
“Mrs. Balian is a wonderful example of the power of unwavering commitment to one’s own country and people. She has given us all the hope that we too will be able to make such a difference for our people,” said Lusine Stepanyan, an Assembly intern from Yerevan and a graduate of the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University in Yerevan.
“We would like to thank Mrs. Balian for being such a wonderful hostess and pro- viding us the opportunity to experience and appreciate the magnificent Balian Art Collection.” stated Simon Shahinian, the Assembly’s intern coordinator.
Recall that the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program was made possible by the Memorial Fund established through Aram Terjenian, Annie Thomas and Florence Terjenian of Belmont, Mass. Additional support comes from the Richard Tufenkian Memorial Fund, the John Hanessian Scholarship Fund, the Armen Astarjian Scholarship Fund, the Ohanian Memorial Fund, James and Connie Melikian and the Knights of Vartan.
